One Reckless Night (14 page)

Bayleigh tried to squelch her panic when she looked at Tasha. “You can’t tell them.”

Tasha laughed. “I wouldn’t dream of it. This is information our parents need to hear from

you.” Tasha’s expression turned serious. “You will have to tell them though. Trial relationship or

not, you can’t keep this hidden from our parents.”

Bayleigh nodded slowly. “I know. I don’t plan on it.”

“You have something in mind?”

Bayleigh had been thinking about how to tell her parents since she agreed to see Dane. “I

plan on bringing him to dinner with me next Sunday.”

Tasha laughed. “This sounds like it could be serious.”

Bayleigh shrugged. “It could be, but I plan on taking this slow. You’ve given me a lot to

think about and I will. I have a lot to figure out. Dane means a lot to me and I don’t want to ruin

that for great sex.”

Tasha spewed the tea she just drank across the table. “Oh,
damn
.”

Tasha scrambled for extra napkins on the table to clean up the mess. She looked at Bayleigh

before sliding out of the booth. Bayleigh laughed as her sister cleaned the table.

“What Tasha, you didn’t think Dane and I would have sex?”

Tasha gave Bayleigh a warning look before sitting back down on the opposite side of the

booth. “Sex is a natural part of a relationship, Bayleigh. I would expect it to be a part of your

relationship. Still to hear you mention sex is a little shocking no matter who you have it with.”

Bayleigh smiled. Her sister’s shock was understandable. It was similar to what she felt the

first time she became aware of Dane as a man, not just a friend. A week after her breakup with

Erwin, Dane had borrowed his friend’s boat and took her to Lake Grapevine. Bayleigh had always

loved the water and Dane wanted to cheer her up. When Dane had showed up, she had on her dark

shades to hide the fact she’d been crying. He hadn’t been fooled, but he was nice enough not to

mention it.

It wasn’t long after they pulled up to the lake that they were racing across it. The water

calmed her as it always did. After a few minutes on the water she looked over at him, instantly

becoming shocked at her awareness of him. It was no secret that Dane was an attractive man.

Women were drawn to his looks, not to mention his charm. That day her body had tightened at the

sight of him. Bayleigh had tried to clear her mind, but it didn’t happen. Guilt had consumed her

because her eyes had wondered over the body of her best friend.

It had become worse when he took his shirt off. The shame she felt that day had been

staggering. The end of her relationship with Erwin was barely a week old. Yet, she was salivating

over another man, one who happened to be her best friend. Another glance at his muscular body

had consoled her.

After her horrible break up with Erwin, she never imagined she would be attracted to

another man. Dane had proved her wrong that day. She’d chocked it up to having high emotions

over her breakup with Erwin. Now she knew it was more. Every time he touched her, he left her in

a complete stupor. Somewhere in the five years that she had known Dane, he had become a

knockout.
Who was she kidding
? He always had been sexy as sin. Bayleigh still couldn’t believe Dane

wanted her. It wasn’t like he could have any woman he wanted. He usually did. Dane was a man

who knew what he wanted and how he was going to get it. In some ways she was jealous of his

sense of adventure.

“Bayleigh, close your mouth. You’re drooling.”

Bayleigh sat up straight. She brought her hand up to her mouth, but no moisture was there.

Her eyes narrowed. “You are mean.”

Tasha laughed. “And you look like you’re ready for a little action with Dane.”

Bayleigh felt heat traveling up her neck. “For Heaven’s sake, Tasha.” She looked around the

restaurant hoping no one overheard her sister’s outrageous statement. “We are in public.”

The corners of Tasha’s mouth curled upward. “Yes we are, but don’t tell me you weren’t

thinking about jumping him.”

“I wasn’t,” Bayleigh growled.

Tasha’s smile widened. “It’s no big deal. Dane is drool worthy. He would also make a good

husband. And you have seen him with his niece and nephew. He’s bound to make a good father as

well.”

Bayleigh looked at her sister with shock. “You already have us married with kids?”

Tasha tried to look innocent. “Only two.”

Bayleigh rolled her eyes. “You are annoying.”

Tasha laughed. “Good. I’m fulfilling my role of little sister.”

Before she could respond, a gentleman approached their table. Bayleigh looked up at him

with surprise.

“Good afternoon ladies. I hate to interrupt, but you look familiar.”

Bayleigh struggled to keep her mouth from falling open. The gentleman was speaking to her,

not Tasha. She didn’t know this guy. He was someone she would remember because he was

attractive. Unfortunately he wasn’t her type. Her preference was a dark haired man with green eyes.

Oh Lord. She was thinking about Dane again.

Giving the stranger a kind smile, Bayleigh shook her head. “No. I don’t think so. I would

remember you.”

The man grinned at the backhanded compliment. “You look familiar. I have definitely seen

you around somewhere.”

Tasha discreetly cleared her throat while extending her left hand to the stranger. “I’m Tasha,

this is my sister, Bayleigh, and you are?”

Bayleigh watched the interaction between her sister and the stranger who introduced himself

as Brett. Why couldn’t she be more like Tasha? Bayleigh didn’t have time to contemplate it for Brett

turned his attention back to her.

“Where do you work?”

Bayleigh’s expression changed, suspicious of his question. He laughed as he pulled out his

wallet and handed her a business card. She glanced at it. Neither the name nor the business on the

card jogged her memory.

“I work at Cal-Com Communications, but I’m positive that I don’t know you.”

Tasha intervened on Bayleigh’s behalf. “My sister is pretty good with names and faces. So

tell me Brett, are you single by any chance?”

Bayleigh eyes widened in astonishment. Tasha was flirting with this guy? Even worse, the

man seemed to be receptive despite the wedding ring on her sister’s hand. Brett definitely wasn’t her

type.

“Yes I am,” Brett responded.

Bayleigh groaned, closing her eyes. Jarvis was going to kill her sister. He was going to kill her

for sitting idly by.

“Good, since you gave my sister your business card, maybe you won’t mind if she calls you

sometime.”

Bayleigh’s eyes snapped open. Had she just heard her sister try to hook her up? “
Tasha!”

Bayleigh snapped, her voice full of warning.

Brett turned his gaze to her, and Bayleigh gave him an apologetic look. Before she could say

anything Brett’s lips were moving. What came out of them almost knocked her over.

“I would like that,” Brett murmured.

Bayleigh didn’t miss the open interest in his eyes or the warmth in his tone. Instead of being

flattered she felt queasy.

“I hope to hear from you soon. Enjoy the rest of your lunch ladies.”

Tasha waved her fingers at Brett as he walked away. Bayleigh was too busy glaring at her

younger sister to even bother.

“What the
hell
was that about?” Bayleigh demanded when Brett was out of earshot.

Tasha shot her a look of innocence no one would believe. Bayleigh was tempted to throw

her fork but she would hate to have to explain the injury to Jarvis and their mother.

“I believe it’s called a set up.”

“You got that right,” Bayleigh muttered. “Did you forget about Dane?”

Tasha smiled. “What about him?”

Bayleigh looked at her sister as if she had lost her mind. “I know you have a bad memory,

Tasha, but you know what I’m talking about.”

Tasha gave her a smug look. “I have selective memory.”

Bayleigh rolled her eyes. “I will be sure to tell mama.”

Bayleigh picked up her fork but her hunger had dissipated. The stunt her sister just pulled

was despicable.

“What are you so upset about Bayleigh? A few minutes ago you were saying you and Dane

aren’t a sure thing. It was obvious Brett was interested in you, so I thought I would help you out.”

Bayleigh looked at her sister with every ounce of irritation that surged through her. “I don’t

need any help. Especially if it is to fix me up with other men when I’m not sure about the one I’m

currently involved with.”

Tasha’s eyebrows rose. “So now you’re involved with Dane?”

Bayleigh groaned. She could feel a headache coming on. Now she remembered why she

didn’t want to talk to her sister about this.

“Be careful Bayleigh or I’m going to start thinking you like Dane.”

“Don’t be a horse’s butt Tasha, of course I like Dane.”

Tasha leaned closer to her. “Beyond the point of screwing his brains out?”

Bayleigh’s eyes widened at her sister’s crude words. “You can be so vulgar sometimes.”

“I’m sorry, Bayleigh but it frustrates me when you sell yourself short.”

Bayleigh shook her head in denial. Even though her sister’s words rang true in her ears. “I’m

not selling myself short Tasha. I just want to be sure this is the right thing to do.”

Tasha shot her an amused look. “I would love to pretend you’re being honest, but we both

know it isn’t true. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Bayleigh remained silent. She could fall in love with Dane and he could hurt her. The idea

alone petrified her. He had the power to hurt her in a way no other man could. Her heart was fragile

when it came to him. She had to be careful.

“What’s wrong?”

Bayleigh cleared her expression. “Nothing.”

“What you mean is nothing you want to talk about?”

Bayleigh gave her sister a leveled look. “Too bad you can’t take a hint.”

Tasha laughed. “You love me in spite of it.”

The corner of Bayleigh’s mouth curled upward. “You can be a pain in the butt.”

A few moments later Bayleigh’s smile faded. “This wasn’t supposed to happen, Tasha.”

“You don’t want Dane?”

Bayleigh shook her head. “I’m starting to want him too much. I think about him all the time.

It drives me nuts.” Bayleigh sighed. “I’ve been such a moron in the past over men who could care

less about me. Imagine how crazy I could get if I let my guard down with Dane.”

Tasha offered her a sympathetic smile. “Bayleigh, Dane is one of the good guys. Besides I’ve

seen the way he looks at you from afar.”

“What do you mean the way he looks at me? I only found out recently and you haven’t seen

him since he confessed.”

Tasha shook her head. “You just haven’t paid attention Bayleigh. Even daddy noticed a

while back.”

Bayleigh’s eyes widened. “No, he didn’t.”

Tasha nodded. “Yes, he did.”

Bayleigh shook her head in disbelief. “This is exactly why I can’t do this. It could get out of

hand and I can end up doing something stupid like falling in love with Dane.”

“I think you already have, Bayleigh.”

Why had she agreed to do this?

Bayleigh was with Dane …technically she was at a gathering with Dane and she wasn’t

having a good time. Crowds weren’t her thing. To top it off, he had left her by herself while he went

to refill their drinks. Making herself as invisible as she could, she stood in the corner waiting for him

to come back.

Okay she was hiding, but who could blame her. She was in a room full of strangers. Besides

Dane, the only other person she knew was Isaac and he was busy talking to a woman who seemed to

be entranced with his every word. Dane convinced her coming to this party would be fun. It wasn’t.

Bayleigh flinched when someone turned the music up. Wasn’t it loud enough already? She

watched people move to a clear area before moving together in unison to the beat. Her mind went

back to her night with Dane at Club Onyx. When she thought about what they had done in the

private room she felt her face begin to heat. Now she was ready—more than ready—to go home—

to be alone with Dane. As soon as he came back, she would convince him it was time to leave. It

shouldn’t be too hard to do. After her exhausting lunch date with Tasha last Saturday she had

elected to go home after her date with Dane. Needless to say, there had been no sex last week. Their

schedules had been too hectic this past week to get together, so she was looking forward to some

alone time tonight.

“Hey sexy. You want to dance?”

Bayleigh frowned at the slurred words. She turned to face the man and her frown deepened.

The man reeked of alcohol. He was steady on his feet so he couldn’t be as drunk as she thought. Still

she didn’t know him and she didn’t want to be around him.

“No, thank you. I’m waiting on someone.”

The guy smiled, but it turned into more of a leer. Her skin crawled at his expression. Why

did people like him have to come out in the general public?

“We can dance while you wait.”

She shook her head. “Not thanks, I’m not interested.”

His smile slipped a little. “After five minutes alone with me you would be.”